The Spice is Right

Ruh-roh…My food budget is going to need a slight adjustment again since I discovered a new website that I’m sure will get more than a few orders from me in the coming weeks.

What Republic of Tea did for my tea shelf, so, too (I’m pretty sure), will My Spice Sage do for my spice rack – which is actually not a rack, but two shelves of spicy goodness. 

Several recipes from three of my favorite food bloggers - Kalyn’s Kitchen, A Veggie Venture, and FatFreeVegan - call for spices I can’t get here in my little town. Basil, oregano, garlic powder, pepper, even garam masala…sure. We’ve got lots of that here. But Smoked Spanish paprika? Vindaloo curry? Chipotle pepper flakes? Nope. Not that I’d expect them to carry black lava sea salt or za’atar, but our WalMart doesn’t even carry fat-free sour cream anymore, or even Spike Seasonings, which I don’t understand.

In the summer, I buy fresh herbs at our farmer’s market or raise them myself, and I love that our “health food” store carries a variety of organic dried spices. But the specialty spices are harder to find. Enter the Internet. I ordered smoked paprika, hot curry and a ground pepper today on My Spice Sage. They ship for a flat $4 rate…not bad…AND they send a free sample of some spice with each order. Apparently I’ll receive vanilla bean pods. What will I do with them? I’m not sure yet, but if you have suggestions, please let me know.

I’ve said before that the best part about eating vegetarian is that it challenges me to try way more new recipes and combinations than I did when I ate meat. I’m sure if I eat meat again, I’d do the same kind of foodie exploration, but it took that plunge into vegetarianism to shake up my culinary rut.

For instance, because I watch my sodium intake and in an attempt to mimic seasoned salt without the salt, I came up with this blend: 1½ t each of chili powder, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder, ½ t turmeric, ¼ t ground pepper, and 1½ t celery seed. I’ll back off on the celery seed next time because it’s a little overpowering. I use this mostly on roasted Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes.

I also make Italian seasoning that I use in soups and sauces. It’s easy and cheap since I have all the ingredients anyway. Mix in a grinder (or use a mortar…sadly, one of the kitchen gadgets I don’t own) the following ingredients: 3 T each of dried basil, dried oregano, and dried parsley, 1 T garlic powder, 1 t each of onion powder, dried thyme and dried rosemary, and ¼ t each pepper, sage, fennel seed and red pepper flakes. Store in an airtight container for up to six months.

I love Emeril’s Creole Seasoning. Mix 2½ T paprika, 2 T each of salt and garlic powder, and 1 T each of black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, dried oregano and dried thyme. Store in an airtight container. I use it in rice recipes, crab and salmon cakes, and one of Larry’s favorites: catfish nuggets.

My friend Katina makes a ROCKIN’ spread for all types of burgers (including the veggie and bean kind!) or wraps. Mix 1/3 C light or fat-free Miracle Whip, ¾ t paprika, ¼ t each of cumin, garlic powder and lemon juice, 1/8 t each of cayenne pepper and oregano, a pinch of salt and a pinch of sweetener or sugar.

My spice obsession will not drain the bank, but two shelves may not be enough space in the upcoming months, now that I’ve discovered My Spice Sage.

What are your “must have” spices?

The Importance Of Don’t

When I was a senior in high school, I became friends with some Swedish exchange students – Per, Henrik, Charlotta and the guy who asked me to prom, but I said no because I wanted to go with Per, but he didn’t ask and so I went to the drive-in with my girlfriends instead. What was his name? That’s going to make me nuts today.

Anyway, it was a Friday night and we were all going out. I thought I was supposed to pick up Per at his host family’s house. I arrived, knocked on the door, and heard, “Come in!” I walked in to find his host parents engaged in *ahem* full-on amorous activity.

I didn’t hear “don’t.” They had yelled, “DON’T come in.”

Oops.

Claire uses the word “don’t” a lot, particularly when talking to (well, yelling at) her baby brother. “Don’t play with that, Luca Man!” “Don’t touch my blankie!” “Don’t look at me!” Don’t, that that context, is such a negative Nelly word. But when used in its cautionary and instructive context, it’s one of the more important words in our vocabulary.

Here are three “don’ts” I’m striving to live by:

1. Don’t stray from the moment

I have a bad habit of wishing time away, especially when I’m on the elliptical or hungry and waiting for the microwave to heat up my food or waiting for an auction to end on eBay.

I was really bad about it when I was losing weight. I made a spreadsheet predicting where my weight “should” be weeks and months in the future based on my average pounds lost per week. Every week I couldn’t wait to get to the next week. Every month I couldn’t wait to get to the next month. In the future I’d be smaller and I was convinced smaller was better. All living in the future did, though, was waste a lot of moments that I’ll never get back. Moments when I could have really gotten to know (and more importantly, APPRECIATE) myself at each weight.

I’ve done a lot of reflecting on this since making goal, and while I certainly have come to appreciate the person I was at 300, I wish I’d – in the moment – appreciated who I was at 265, 209, 172, etc. My impatience gets me nowhere. A minute will pass whether I’m impatient or serene. Ergo, don’t stray from the moment.

2. Don’t take your body for granted

Jon Kabat-Zinn once said (and I’m paraphrasing): If you’re breathing, you have everything going for you. Our bodies are pretty amazing, at any size or fitness. But I often fall into the mind trap of lamenting what my body can’t do rather than what it can. Or, when it can do something, not remembering there will be consequences if I overdo it. And when do I overdo? Either when I’m attempting to show off (the gym is really bad for that) or when I conveniently forget I have limitations. (Arthritis? What arthritis?)

This “don’t” reminds me of a lovely song by Toad the Wet Sprocket called “I Will Not Take These Things For Granted.”

I’m listening
Music in the bedroom
Laughter in the hall
Dive into the ocean
Singing by the fire
Running through the forest
And standing in the wind
In rolling canyons


I will not take these things for granted



3. Don’t offer unconstructive criticism and don’t wait until tomorrow to make things right if I fail at Don’t 1 and Don’t 2.

I’m the queen of self-flagellation, although I have come a long way and am much more mindful when I’m being a total bitch to myself. (So manybe I'm no longer the "queen" but a maidservant...LOL) I don’t treat myself half as badly as I used to. That’s a HUGE step forward for me.

I need “don’t” in my life. Don’t keeps me on the straight and narrow. And, if heard and paid attention to, can prevent me (and amorous couples) from a whole lot of embarrassment, too!

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FYI: Lynn’s Weigh is on Facebook! If you’d like to join our group, click here and become a “fan.” Every day I post a question or topic that we chat about throughout the day, and readers post questions to me and other readers, too. It’s a fun way to stay in touch.

Also, check out my latest blog on Refuse to Regain, “No, thank you. I stay here.” I’ll mark my 3-year maintenance anniversary in a few weeks and I reflected on how maintenance changes year to year. Would love to hear your feedback!

DVD Giveaway Winner Announcement

Quick post (a blog is forthcoming...hopefully tonight) to let ya'll know (because I'm sure you've been checking ALL DAY) that the winner of the Slim & Tone Pilates is reader Maya! Congrats to Maya and a big THANK YOU to all of you for your emails and comments.

Next to be reviewed: "Dance Off The Inches: Striptease Workout with Megan Armond." Cassie will be reviewing this one, too, along with a few comments from her "old but still got it a little bit" mother. This review will (probably) be posted next Friday (March 5). It'll be a fun one, I assure you.

Who Loves Pilates? Cassie Does! (Giveaway Inside!)

Each winter around this time, I start getting bored with my fitness regimen. I can’t do much outside so cardio machines, Thera-Band and free weights are my only exercise friends.

Or are they?

Variety is the spice of life, so I’ve decided to try a new fitness video every week or two. Not only will I try it, I’ll post a review and give you a chance to win it! (Yes, I’m dragging ya’ll along on my “spice of life” campaign.)

Having said all that, however, I’m not the one wrote today’s review of “Element Slim and Tone Pilates with Kara Wily.” My daughter Cassie, mother of my g-babies, was crazy about this video and so I thought I’d let her tell you what’s up.

First a little info about Cassie: She’s 25 years old, 5’8” tall, 145 pounds. She’s in the process of losing weight, down 30 pounds since Luca was born in May and eyeing 135 if her body will let her. She joined a gym when Luca was 3 months old and works out there when she can, usually 4 or 5 times a week. If the kids are well behaved at the gym daycare, she can get her cardio and strength training done in 45 minutes to an hour. Cassie also likes to use fitness DVDs at home (Claire “helps”) and that’s why I’ve asked her to review this and future workouts. I’ll throw my two cents in as well. Just not this time.

Here’s Cassie’s review.

“Element Slim and Tone Pilates with Kara Wily” (approx. 40 minutes long)

Rating: ***** of ***** stars. LOVED IT!
Difficulty: **** of ***** stars.
Presentation: **** of ***** stars. Unless you’re familiar with Pilates, you will need to be able to see the screen to follow, which can be difficult since this is a very fast moving exercise. I recommend watching it first prior to actually performing it.
Benefit: *****of ***** stars. I felt it working with every exercise. This is going to be a DVD I’ll keep around for the long haul.

I think of Pilates as Yoga on speed. While it still requires using your breath and centering, it is more fast-paced and has a cardio benefit.

“Slim and Tone Pilates” is wonderful for intermediate to experienced Pilates users. I felt every exercise and got a full body workout without feeling completely winded and exhausted at the end. It was also nice and short so I could get it in during the kids’ naps.

“Slim and Tone” uses a voice-over format, with the instructor performing just the movements. This allowed for much more fluidity with the exercise as a whole. This format works well for me since I’m familiar with Pilates and don’t require extra explanation of the movements. That’s why I recommend beginners watch it and perform the moves a few times to get familiar with the flow.

Each movement is performed only a few times, enough to feel it working, but not enough to exhaust the muscles. The rowing series is a very nice yet different exercise that uses both core and arm strength and flexibility. When preformed correctly, and you use your own resistance, it works the arms in such a unique way – I felt it working my deltoids, triceps, forearms and the muscles of the upper back (especially those along the bra line.) It’s a very refreshing movement.

I’m not as flexible as I once was, but by the end of the video I had much more movement because of the constant stretching throughout the workout. Also, the breathing instruction was great for extending my flexibility.

The jumps and leg lifts at the end really completed the exercise. It felt like all my stretched out muscles got a good shake out.

One downside, if you have weak knees or wrists, this will be a little more difficult for you. I found the six pushups required at the end were next to impossible since my muscles were surprisingly weak.

Overall, though, the workout was so fun that I hardly realized I was working hard. I didn’t once look at the clock or wonder when it would be done. I felt relaxed, rejuvenated and ready for my day after completing this exercise.

I know I’ve implied that “Shape and Tone Pilates” is probably not for beginners, but I’m afraid that by saying that, you might be timid to try it. I think if you’re new to Pilates, I’d just recommend watching it a few times and taking your time to stop and watch while going through the movements the first few times. Please don’t be intimidated or frustrated by the movements. This isn’t an exercise that will be mastered after a few times, it will take months of practice. This requires a lot of flexibility and for some people that doesn’t come naturally.

I also feel that if done often, this will show quick results. I have since done this DVD three times and already notice a difference in my flexibility and strength in my back and spine.

Now for the giveaway part: To enter the drawing to win this DVD, leave a comment or send an email to lynnbering@verizon.net and let us know if you’ve ever tried Pilates before. We’ll draw a random name and announce a winner on Thursday, Feb. 25!

Let It Be…Naked

For months I’ve been saying I’m going to clean out the CD closet. We only call it the CD closet because it’s shorter than saying CD/DVD/VHS/vinyl(as in ALBUMS)/g-baby’s toys/computer bags/aerobic steps/hiking polls closet. Although it measures no more than 3 feet by 3 feet, it holds a lot of stuff. Too much stuff. Thankfully some bug crawled up my bum yesterday and made me attack and conquer the chaos.

Maybe I was channeling Henry David Thoreau (“Simplify, simplify!”). Maybe I was just tired of wanting to hear that one song by that one group and being too lazy to look for it, opting instead to give iTunes $.99 to download a song I already owned. I’m on a no-credit-card budget now and my financial life is transformed. Ergo, money is very motivating.

So yesterday I thinned the herd, downsizing our collection by a hundred or so. No more “Borat,” “Harry Potter,” the colorized version of “It’s A Wonderful Life,” Todd Rundgren or my various movie soundtracks and greatest hits of the ‘70s collections. I asked Larry to go through the closet to cull his own CDs. He gave up a few and agreed with all but two of my choices to ditch. Alas, he kept his Doors collection, Billy Joel’s “Storm Front” (seriously?), every Mahler symphony known to humankind, and his one lone Grateful Dead CD. I guess it’s only fair. I kept my Barry Manilow CDs and Abba “Gold.”

What I like the most about this process is that I have a better handle on what I own. As much as I try to not have it, I still hang on to a lot of clutter. How many boxes of old dishes live in my basement just in case one of our kids or friends’ kids need them or we buy a second home…like that’s really going to happen before the dishes we use now are replaced? Is it necessary to hang on to every towel that has lived beyond its usefulness because it might make a handy rag? How long do I hang on to that box of tofu in the back of the cupboard just in case I get a craving? Craving tofu hasn’t and will not ever happen.

Simplifying the closet clutter was also a journey of discovery. I completely forgot we had the Beatles’ “Let It Be…Naked” CD. And I got a huge kick out of finding my two Sass Jordon CDs and remembering how back in the early 1990s I wanted her feet. I still do! Check out the bling! I want toes and ankles like that. (Her voice is awesome, too. Check out “Racine” and “Rats” if you like throaty, bluesy female voices.)

I remembered, too, that in reducing physical clutter, I always reduce emotional clutter. And when I reduce emotional clutter, the things that really need my attention more readily come to the surface. I sometimes fear a clear head, though, and find comfort in hiding in the clutter. I also get caught up in the whole idea that more is better.

Take blue cheese dressing, for instance. I love blue cheese dressing. I haven’t had it in ages because its calories were always a waste of my food time. But I really, really wanted blue cheese dressing last week. I went on an Internet search and found two low-fat recipes – one very simple, one more complicated. Which one did I try first? Of course: the most complicated one. The one with the most ingredients. Why? Because more is better! I mean, it called for Dijon mustard, tarragon vinegar, this spice, that spice…yadda, yadda, yadda. It HAD to be good because it was the most complex. So I made it, tried it, and dumped it in the garbage. It had none of the flavors I cherished in blue cheese dressing. None of the original, authentic zing. None of the “This reminds me of ______” meal.

As I studied the next recipe – the one that got rave reviews, by the way – I thought, How could four ingredients – sour cream, buttermilk, blue cheese and garlic – satisfy my taste buds? Where’s the flair? Where’s the “secret” ingredient that would make this dressing a cut above the ordinary? Turns out the flair and secret were in its simplicity. I made it, tried it, loved it, ate it again today, shared (reluctantly) with Larry, and will eat it again tomorrow. Simple was fabulous.

Simple IS fabulous. Less is more.

And less means Mama might earn some new workout shoes because I threw a few of our more notable CDs on eBay. Hopefully I’ll have a little mad money at the end of next weekend. Not to mention, a clean, neat, uncomplicated closet. One I won’t lose Claire in as she searches for her crayons. One that I can go to when I want to hear THAT Beethoven concerto or watch THAT Fleetwood Mac concert or upload THAT ZZ Top song and not pay iTunes for the privilege.

Not to mention what simplifying and getting “naked” do for my head. That I can’t sell or purchase on eBay.

Lessons From A Dog and A Phone

Mathilda isn’t fancy. No pedigree. She’s old and has cysts and a limp, and she sheds mercilessly twice a year. She’s had four encounters with skunks and hates that we bathe her when she rolls in deer poop.

Mathilda can’t intellectualize pain, but when her joints are out of sorts, she doesn’t berate herself or call herself old or lament the fact that she’s not a puppy anymore. Most important, she doesn’t ignore her pain and continue to romp and play like she doesn’t hurt. She takes it easy, goes out when necessary, and let’s our other dog know she can’t play. When he nudges her, she nips to let him know she hurts and can’t play right now.

If you read my last blog, “Choosing The Baby Over The Blackberry,” you know my beloved Pearl (that's Pearl in her "bra")took a trip to the bottom of the tub when G-baby Luca went head first into G-baby Claire’s bath. Luca was fine and, surprisingly, so was Pearl after spending 24 hours drying out in a bag of rice (my genius daughter’s idea).

It wasn’t Pearl’s first encounter with H20. When Claire was 9 months old, she used Pearl as a teething ring. Pearl needed a night to dry out before she could work again. Last month, Pearl fell out of my purse and into a snow bank. It took my husband and I 15 minutes to find her, calling her number over and over to hear her ring – faintly – so we could find and rescue her.

Pearl isn’t fancy. She doesn’t have a full QWERTY keyboard, her paint’s chipping, and she’s very sensitive. Just ask the folks I’ve butt dialed. But Pearl’s like a Timex watch. She takes a licking and keeps on ticking. It just sometimes takes her a few days to get back to normal.

Unlike Mathilda, it’s often hard for me to acknowledge that I have arthritis, particularly when it interferes with how I want to pick up and hold my grandchildren. If you’ve ever had a hangover, you know what I’m talking about. You know while you’re taking back that fourth, fifth and/or sixth drink you’ll pay the price the next day, but you’re having so much fun that you don’t stop. When Claire says, “Uppie, Grammy!” I pick her up. When Luca hangs on my leg and looks up at me and smiles, I pick him up. It’s fun!

“I’ll be fine,” I tell myself, even as my shoulders and wrists moan in protest. “I’ll take a few Advil.”

But arthritis (like food) doesn’t understand ignorance. It doesn’t recognize impatience or appreciate that I want the freedom to interact with Claire and Luca on MY terms. (Or in the case of food, to eat the way I want to without consequence). Arthritis (and food) does what it does, and what it did to me this week is give me a case of tendonitis and bursitis. Doc shot the shoulder up with cortisone, told me to ice it twice a day and to lay off strength training until I see my (beloved) physical therapist next week.

You’d think after all these years, after all the times I’ve been down this road, that I’d have learned my lesson. God knows you’ve read me bitch about this subject ad nauseum. But like getting real about my weight and health when I was 300 pounds (and ALL the times I lost weight before), getting real with arthritis is taking time and a whole lot of introspection. I needed a dose of reality (and a massage and a visit to the chiropractor and several Advil) to get my head on straight again. At least until the next time.

Oh to be more like Mathilda and Pearl! Both behave within the parameters of their abilities. While on a walk, Mathilda doesn’t think, “Hey! There’s a creek and steep embankment that come hell or high water I’m going to run through and climb because I want to and to hell with the pain!” No, she lumbers along and takes in the odors near the ground and enjoys what she can without hurting herself. Pearl (despite her careless owner) shakes herself off, dries out, and goes back to functioning the best way she can given her circumstances.

I’m not old. I have arthritis. Arthritis, like weight, isn’t a personality flaw. It doesn’t reflect who I am and it isn’t something I chose to have. I suspect this reality will take even more time than I realize to completely accept and incorporate, but hey, I lost weight…I can lose the “Oh, I’m not in pain!” attitude, too.

One final photo. The weather’s been tough for many of us and it’s easy to miss the beauty that’s in the snow and cold. It’s gone now because it was above freezing today, but look what grew on the lilac bush outside my bathroom window. I like to think it’s a tropical bird – a gift from the universe to say, “Hey, sorry about all the winter blech.”

Choosing the Baby Over the Blackberry

Today’s blog was inspired by the video I took with my beloved Blackberry on Monday. Claire was taking a bath and Luca was playing on the outside of the tub. At least, he was outside the tub. Take a look.



(Before you worry, Luca was just fine. Did you catch Claire’s giggle at the very end? In less than a minute, everything was back to normal and Luca, now shirtless, was laughing, too, only this time I held on tightly to the back of his pants.)

Continuing on last blog’s theme of the New Normal, it struck me as I was taking apart my Blackberry to dry it out that over the last five years, many of things I was learning when I started to lose weight have become second nature. Just as I immediately grabbed Luca when he went head first into the tub without thought to the fate of my phone, it’s become a no-brainer to choose a salad over a Big Mac. This was not the case at the beginning. In terms of food, I often chose the Blackberry over the baby, so to speak.

When I joined Weight Watchers, I was all about my Old Favorites – mashed potatoes, Chicken McNuggets, 100-calorie packs, etc. – and how many I could fit into my daily Points allotment while still getting in the bare minimum of the recommended number of servings of fruits and veggies, dairy and protein.

If you’re familiar with the Points plan, you know that as you lose weight, your daily Points drop, but you still need the same number of fruits, veggies, etc., to be on plan. Dropping even a few Points really cut into my Old Favorites choices, but what happened, quite serendipitously, was that I adopted new favorites that incorporated the healthy food guidelines. While I still have a few Old Favorites, they aren’t mainstays in my New Normal. They’re more like visitors.

This is Claire’s friend Robot. Her mother cut out the design to Claire’s specifications and Claire painted him and gave him his face. Not bad for a 2-year-old, eh? Anyway, Robot is on her wall next to her bed and keeps the monsters out of Claire’s room. On Monday she made another Robot to hang on the wall next to her bed in Larry’s office. Robot makes her feel safe.

My New Normal is like Claire’s Robot. It wards off scary foods and keeps me safe from bad choices. Sure, I’ve fallen into that proverbial tub a time or two in the last five years, and I’ll no doubt make a few more trips head first into a cheesecake or some such, but my New Normal helps me prioritize and make (mostly) healthy split-second decisions, choosing the baby, so to speak, over the Blackberry because I finally love and care about my body more than any food or excuse.